TI Graphic Calculators.

[AMSDOS]

I was looking into getting myself one of these, but didn't know what I could do with it (besides Graphics), though now I found a pile of programming stuff could be coded into these devices (not that I plan ditching my old faithful Amstrad), though with the range of models, I was wondering if anyone had any advice, or had coded something on it, some of the earlier models suggested it was better to code on a proper computer and transfer it to it.

[Bryce]

Are you talking about the very latest Ti Calculators or the older retro ones? I use a Ti-84 Plus CE-T for work, but I wouldn't recommend it for general use as it doesn't have DEC/HEX/OCT conversions. I've only written a few simple subroutines for it (conversions that I regularly use). Nothing fancy or graphical.

Bryce.

[AMSDOS]

The site I had mentioned the TI-83 Plus & Ti-84 Plus, one of those Graphic Calculators mentioned having a whole heap of stuff for it, but I think it was the Old TI-83 Calculator, so when the Plus model came out, compatibility for the earlier stuff had change.


These were the Sites I was looking at:


Welcome - ticalc.org
Calculators - ticalc.org
Axe Parser 1.2.2 - ticalc.org


I thought this Axe Parser looked interesting, but was recommended the user to be familiar with TI-BASIC. I had a look at TI-BASIC on Wikipedia, though the language varies from Model to Model.

[Bryce]

I know that the latest versions have some sort of restrictions, so writing code (other than Ti BASIC) doesn't work because the code needs some sort of certificate.

Bryce.

[AMSDOS]

The sites I've been looking at don't actually have any information about the TI-84 Plus CE, a 3rd party software program is needed for the Nspire CX & TI Nspire CX CAS, which exploits a loophole in the OS, so perhaps the same kind of thing for the TI-84 Plus CE, though unless eZ80 is the same as a 150Mhz ARM, it appears they have different processors. Their Archive reveals a range of programs written in different languages for the TI-84 PLUS CE though & on their main page is information about a new compiler (July this year) for the CE range, though it appears to be WIP.

[SRS]

if you want to stay with z80, take a look 'ere:

z80 game development

Z80 Routines:Graphic:LineDraw - WikiTI

[AMSDOS]

if you want to stay with z80, take a look 'ere:

z80 game development

Z80 Routines:Graphic:LineDraw - WikiTI

Thanks for those, yes I came across those sites earlier, but couldn't remember how I found them.
The good news is I found the TI-84 plus is still being sold, bad news it's been cleared out, so I'll have to hurry and get one and work it out later. 

[MaV]

There's only two Z80 TI-calcs which can convert HEX/DEC/OCT: the TI-85 and the TI-86; the 68k calcs are all capable of converting number systems as well: TI-92, TI-92+, TI-89, TI-89 Titanium, Voyage 200.

Apart from the 68k calcs and the Nspire calcs (ARM chips), all others use a Z80. The Nspire (without the CAS) emulate a TI-84, so does Z80 emulation.
The TI-84 Plus CE-T features an eZ80, which has a normal Z80 mode and an enhanced eZ80 mode that expands the registers to 24 bit and can multiply 8 bit registers in hardware. The clock cycles have also been optimised, so it's faster than a Z80 at the same speed.

All of the TI calcs allow assembly programming, the very early ones with loop holes only (TI-80, 81, 82, 85).
Some calcs allow for calculator apps (basically 16k programmes though multiple 16k apps can be used for one single program); those are all the 68k ones and the 83+ series and 84 series. The app needed to be signed by Texas Instruments, i.e. had to undergo a verification process, but some guys brute forced the private keys, and now everybody can do so.

This led Texas Instruments to produce the Nspire series which was deemed secure but had been cracked. The latest models (TI Nspire CX (CAS), and TI-84 Plus CE-T) seem to have a hardware protection to prevent unwanted changes. At least the 84 plus CE-T can be programmed in Z80 and eZ80, but you can't flash anything, AFAIK.

They are all best programmed via a PC as typing larger programms via the calcs keys is extremely awkward.

TI-BASIC is quite limited, IMO. And yes, the various versions differ.

[AMSDOS]

Interesting.


In Aust. the place I've checked out doesn't seem to have the CE-T model, just the CE model, would anyone know what the difference might be? A quick Google search shows the CE as marketed to US & Canada (as well as Aust.), but the CE-T us UK & Ireland. I'm guessing there maybe just minor alterations, but once I saw a minor rewording of a model printer, which left one printer being Epson Compatible and the other one not.


I also noticed you and @Bryce earlier talking about HEX/DEC/OCT conversions. I'm sorry, but I don't understand. I have an ordinary Scientific Calculator which does Base-N calculations which converts BIN to HEX or DEC or OCT if you wish, but you're not talking about that I presume.


So I guess I'm asking unless it's an 85 or 86, I'm wasting my time looking at the other models?

[MaV]

In Aust. the place I've checked out doesn't seem to have the CE-T model, just the CE model, would anyone know what the difference might be? A quick Google search shows the CE as marketed to US & Canada (as well as Aust.), but the CE-T us UK & Ireland. I'm guessing there maybe just minor alterations, but once I saw a minor rewording of a model printer, which left one printer being Epson Compatible and the other one not.

I seem to recall - just as you said - that the CE-T model is sold in Europe and the CE model in the US. I can't find any hint to the differences, but they should be minor.

I also noticed you and @Bryce earlier talking about HEX/DEC/OCT conversions. I'm sorry, but I don't understand. I have an ordinary Scientific Calculator which does Base-N calculations which converts BIN to HEX or DEC or OCT if you wish, but you're not talking about that I presume.

We're talking exactly about that. Only the 68k models and the TI-85 and TI-86 have conversion functions. I don't know about the Nspire and the CE models in this regard.

So I guess I'm asking unless it's an 85 or 86, I'm wasting my time looking at the other models?

If you want a Z80 based, take either the TI-86 which has functions not found on the other Z80 models (a lot of conversion routines for example), the 84+ SE or the 84+ CE.

Technically the TI-86 has a memory mapped screen (as has the CPC), all the other calcs use OUT to write to the screen. It's clocked at 6MHz and has a 128x64 B/W LCD resolution, but not on sale anymore, so you'll have to find it second hand.

The TI-84+ SE models are also ok, and you could program applications for them. It's clocked at 15MHz (6 MHz) and its resolution is 96x64 B/W.

The 84+ CE model is more "closed", but you can still program it. It features a colour screen and AFAIK officially 15MHz - although from what I read about it, is clocked much higher but also inserts wait states whenever it fetches data from memory (that is every single byte it fetches). The colour screen's size is 320x240 and every pixel is 16-bit wide (=65536 colours). The eZ80 is more advanced than the Z80, and this calc might be the only hardware on sale featuring an eZ80.

If you're going for the 68k models, I'd recommend either a TI-89 Titanium (looks like a calculator) or a Voyage 200 (features a little keyboard).

[AMSDOS]

Thanks for that.


I've been having a look at some of them on eBay, it doesn't look like the TI-86 was sold here in Aust., I found a number of them on eBay (based on the US) happy to ship to Aust., but in some cases the P&H was more than the Calculator itself!    My only other dilemma is if I get a Second-hand one off eBay, there's a chance of not getting the whole package with it, I presume it comes with cables, drivers, manuals.

[Bryce]

Thanks for that.


I've been having a look at some of them on eBay, it doesn't look like the TI-86 was sold here in Aust., I found a number of them on eBay (based on the US) happy to ship to Aust., but in some cases the P&H was more than the Calculator itself!    My only other dilemma is if I get a Second-hand one off eBay, there's a chance of not getting the whole package with it, I presume it comes with cables, drivers, manuals.

Nope. Manual was only available as download as far as I can remember and the only cable it requires is a standard micro USB cable, nothing special.

Bryce.

[AMSDOS]

Oh well, I've splashed some cash and got myself a TI-84 Plus before it became Obsolete, so it should give me some programs to play around with.

[MaV]

Careful, Bryce! The micro USB cable is only used for the newer TI-calcs (nSpire and 84+ CX models). All older calcs had a jack socket for data transfer.

The official TI cable looks like this: TI-Freakware | Tutorials | Linking your calculator with TI-Connect (search in the text for the links to the pictures: silver usb connectivity link, TI black link cable).

Earlier, the TI calcs were also sold with a proper manual. It "only" explains the calc functions and TI basic at most. The ability for assembly programs is only mentioned. The 83+ models have a programming manual in PDF online, the 84+ and newer models use the same as base + there's a second PDF explaining the enhancements for the 84 calcs.
Newer models and older models which are still sold don't include a dead tree edition nowadays. And the software can be found at the TI website. There's also the TiLP on SourceForge, a good slim alternative to the bloated TI suite.

@AMSDOS: The TI-84 plus is a good choice!

[Bryce]

I thought he was talking about one of the newer Ti-84 Calcs.

Bryce.

[AMSDOS]

I thought he was talking about one of the newer Ti-84 Calcs.

Bryce.

Funny you should say that, when I went to buy one, there were TI-84 Plus' in 2 different packages, the more abundant of the 2 had a 2 Cardboard backplate and mentioned the Online Manual. I ended up getting the one in the Plastic packaging which appears to have a Manual included with it, and doesn't mention the Online Manual. So I'm thinking I've got the older of the 2 Packages. The Calculators were definitely the same though.